The night was endless. The walls of Elena’s cell whispered with the sound of dripping water and the distant howls of wolves in the forest. She lay on the narrow cot, staring at the ceiling where faint cracks formed shapes that looked almost like constellations. Sleep wouldn’t come.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw it again. The golden eyes, the violence, the way the great Alpha had torn through those beasts like paper. Then the hall, the choking, the word that refused to leave her mind.

Mine.

She turned on her side and hugged her knees. Who was she? Where had she come from? Why had fate decided to throw her into the path of a monster feared by his own kind?

Elena had no answers. Only the echo of his voice.

Do not touch what belongs to me.

It didn’t make sense. Her grandmother who she only remembered spoke of werewolves as wild, soulless creatures and yet, when Derek had looked at her, she hadn’t seen a beast. She had seen something dangerous, yes, but also something controlled. Something breaking beneath his calm.

A sharp ache formed in her chest. She pushed it away and stared again at the cracks in the ceiling.

Who am I?

She remembered flashes—fire, screaming, shadows that spoke in strange tongues but nothing clear. Just a blur that left her trembling.

Eventually, exhaustion took her, and her eyes closed.

The sound of metal clinking jolted her awake. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. Then she smelled it, food. It was Warm, savory, and real. Her stomach growled loudly.

A guard had left a tray through the slot in the door. Steam rose from a bowl of stew and a chunk of bread that looked like it had been baked by someone who actually cared.

Elena sat up slowly, her hair messy and her throat dry. She hesitated for only a second before grabbing the bowl and devouring its contents. It was the first decent thing she had tasted in days.

“Easy there,” a voice said. “No one’s stealing it from you.”

Elena jumped.

Standing by the open door was a man who looked nothing like the other wolves she had seen. His hair was cropped short, his eyes a calm shade of silver, and his grin carried something human, almost charming. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

“You eat like a starving raccoon,” he said, amused.

“Maybe because I was starving,” Elena snapped between bites.

He chuckled. “Fair enough. I’m Skylar. Beta of the Blood Moon Pack. Derek’s right-hand man.”

She stopped chewing. “So you’re the Beta?”

“The one and only,” he said proudly. “Though between us, I prefer to think of myself as the better-looking half of this operation.”

Despite herself, Elena almost smiled. There was something about him that made her less tense. Maybe it was the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, or the warmth in his voice that didn’t sound like the rest of the wolves who looked at her like prey.

Skylar stepped closer and unlocked the door.

“Wait,” she said quickly. “You’re letting me out?”

“Not exactly,” he said. “You’re still technically a prisoner. But the Alpha has decided you’re to remain here until your memory returns.”

Elena frowned. “What if it never comes back?”

“Then you’ll have a very long vacation,” he said dryly.

She raised an eyebrow. “Vacation? You mean imprisonment.”

He shrugged. “Depends on how you look at it. You’ll get food, a roof, and work. That’s better treatment than most rogues get.”

“Work?”

He nodded. “You’ll help in the healing quarters. The pack has an infirmary where the young and wounded are treated. You’ll assist the healers, fetch herbs, clean up, things like that.”

She blinked. “So… you’re making me a nurse?”

“Think of it as community service,” he said with a teasing grin. “You’ll earn your keep and maybe, just maybe, convince everyone you’re not a spy sent to curse us all.”

Elena sighed and leaned back against the wall. “And what about him? The Alpha?”

Skylar’s smile faded slightly. “Derek?”

“Yes.” Her voice was quiet. “Why did he defend me?”

Skylar looked thoughtful for a moment. “You’ll have to ask him that yourself. Though I’d advise against it if you want to keep your head attached.”

“That’s not comforting.”

“I’m not trying to comfort you. I’m trying to keep you alive.” He glanced around, then lowered his voice. “Between us, Derek is… complicated. You’re lucky he didn’t kill you where you stood.”

Elena pushed the empty bowl aside. “He almost did.”

“Almost,” Skylar repeated. “But he didn’t. That’s something.”

He motioned for her to follow. “Come on. I’ll show you where you’ll be working.”

Elena hesitated but then stood. Her legs were stiff, but it felt good to move. She followed Skylar through the stone hallway. The corridors were vast, lit by torches, and she could hear distant voices and laughter echoing from somewhere above.

As they passed a group of young wolves carrying crates, they stopped to stare. Whispered words followed her like a shadow.

“Is that her?”

“The witch?”

“Derek’s prisoner?”

Elena lowered her head, cheeks burning.

Skylar noticed and glared at them. “Don’t you pups have training to attend?”

The wolves scattered instantly.

Elena murmured, “They hate me.”

“They fear you,” Skylar corrected. “There’s a difference.”

“Feels the same to me.”

“Give it time.” He flashed her another grin. “They’ll get used to you. Maybe.”

The corridor opened into a larger chamber. Sunlight filtered through narrow windows, and the scent of herbs filled the air. Several wolves in human form worked over long tables, mixing poultices and tending to wounded pack members.

“This is it,” Skylar said. “Healing quarters. Don’t worry, no one bites.”

A red-haired woman looked up and smiled faintly. “Skylar, is this the witch?”

“Her name is Elena,” he said firmly. “She’ll be helping around here. Try not to scare her.”

The woman chuckled. “As long as she doesn’t set the place on fire.”

“I can’t even light a candle without struggling,” Elena muttered.

“Good,” the woman said. “We already have enough trouble.”

Skylar leaned closer to Elena. “That’s Maren. Don’t mind her sarcasm. It’s how she shows affection.”

Maren threw a cloth at him. “Out, Beta. You’re disrupting the calm.”

Skylar caught it easily and grinned. “I live to disrupt.” He turned back to Elena. “You’ll start here. Maren will show you what to do. I’ll check in later.”

Elena nodded slowly. “Alright.”

Skylar hesitated, then smiled again. “You’ll be fine, you know. Just… don’t go near the Alpha unless you’re summoned. He’s not the chatting type.”

“I’ve noticed,” she said quietly.

He gave her a playful wink. “Good girl.”

Elena rolled her eyes, but a faint smile tugged at her lips as he left the room.

×

×

Hours passed, and the work wasn’t as terrible as she expected. Maren was tough but patient. Elena learned how to clean wounds, prepare salves, and sort dried herbs into labeled jars. Her magic, though weak, helped her sense which herbs carried stronger healing energy. Maren noticed but didn’t comment.

By late afternoon, Elena’s arms ached, and her hair clung to her forehead with sweat. Still, it was the first time in days she hadn’t felt like prey.

“You learn fast,” Maren said as she packed up bandages.

“Guess I had to,” Elena replied. “Running for your life builds good instincts.”

Maren chuckled softly. “You’ve got spirit. Keep that. It’s rare around here.”

When the sun dipped low, Skylar returned. He looked less formal now, his sleeves rolled up, revealing arms that seemed built to split boulders.

“Well, look at you,” he said, impressed. “Didn’t burn the place down. That’s progress.”

Elena laughed lightly. “Barely survived, though.”

He handed her a piece of bread. “Dinner.”

She took it and tore a small bite. “So, you really think I’ll get my memory back?”

Skylar leaned against the wall, thoughtful. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s better you don’t. Some memories are like broken glass. The more you touch them, the more they hurt.”

Elena looked at him curiously. “You sound like someone who knows that from experience.”

He smiled faintly. “We’ve all got ghosts, witch girl.”

“Please don’t call me that.”

“What should I call you then?”

“Elena works fine.”

He tilted his head. “Alright, Elena. You can call me Sky. Most people do.”

“Sky?”

“Yeah. Easier to shout during emergencies.”

Elena giggled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He grinned. “Good. I like you better when you laugh. You looked like a dying squirrel when I first saw you.”

She smirked. “Thanks. You really know how to flatter a lady.”

“I try my best.”

For a moment, they just stood there, the tension between them easy and warm. It felt strange to Elena, being able to laugh after everything. Skylar made it too easy. He wasn’t like Derek. Derek’s presence consumed the air; Skylar’s made it lighter.

But even as she smiled, she couldn’t ignore the pull in her chest whenever she thought about the Alpha. His voice, his eyes, that impossible word. Mine.

She pushed the thought away.

Skylar straightened and gestured toward the door. “You’ll be sleeping in the servant quarters tonight. Safer than the dungeon. And less depressing.”

Elena nodded, suddenly tired. “Thank you, Sky.”

“Don’t thank me,” he said. “Just stay out of trouble. The Alpha won’t be patient forever.”

As they walked through the dim corridors, the castle seemed quieter than before. Elena could hear faint howls from outside, echoing across the mountains.

When they reached her small room, Skylar paused at the door.

“You’ll get used to it here,” he said. “Eventually.”

Elena smiled weakly. “Or die trying.”

He laughed. “There’s the spirit. Try not to die though. I’d hate to explain that to Derek.”

“I’ll do my best.”

He turned to leave, but before he did, he gave her a small nod. “Rest well, Elena.”

When he was gone, she sat on the edge of her bed. The moonlight filtered through the small window, painting the floor in silver. For the first time in a long while, she felt something close to peace.

But that peace didn’t last. Her thoughts returned, heavy and stubborn. Derek’s eyes haunted her. The way he had growled, the way he had looked at her as if she mattered.

She stared at her hands, then at the moon.

“I guess I’ll spend my entire life as a slave,” she whispered.

The words drifted into the quiet room, lost to the night.